Young Managers Perform the Best and Here's Why

Joe Weinlick
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Many people believe that older managers make better leaders because they have more experience in their industries. However, a recent Harvard study shows that young managers bring a lot to the table — elevation to a managerial position at a young age only happens with the highest achievers. Placing young managers into key roles within an organization comes with many benefits.

Technologically Savvy

One of the obvious benefits of employing young managers comes in their comfort with modern technology. Younger generations grew up with the Internet, cellphones and social media, so their members often naturally have more knowledge than their veteran counterparts who've had to adapt to changing technology over the years. Young managers can help their teams connect with customers and other businesses through online communications and find innovative ways to enhance company branding and marketing.

Open to Change

Young managers haven't worked long enough to be stuck in their ways, making them more flexible and open to change. Lack of formal experience fosters a stronger sense of optimism, no matter the difficulty. Younger leaders aren't afraid to get behind challenging new projects that require adaptation.

Enthusiastic

Young managers possess an innate enthusiasm that's highly beneficial to the workplace dynamic. While veterans can become tired or burned out after years of service, young workers can bring fresh energy and focus to the table, which improves morale across the board. Letting young managers make suggestions, lead teams and help with motivational programs injects positive energy into the work atmosphere while inspiring others.

Receptive

Older managers tend to be less receptive to feedback after years of perfecting their own formula. Young managers, on the other hand, are hungry for feedback, both positive and negative, to help them cultivate their management style. In addition to wanting feedback, young managers are also more willing to implement that feedback into effective changes.

Results Focused

Because of a strong need to prove themselves, young managers tend to be results-oriented and hungry for achievement. This makes younger leaders more apt to put lots of hard work and energy into accomplishing concrete objectives, while a more seasoned veteran may fall back on tried and true formulas to get by and remain complacent.

Goal Oriented

Younger leaders often show more willingness to set ambitious goals than their older counterparts. More seasoned workers tend to set more mediocre goals in order to avoid difficulties and possible failure. By contrast, many young managers love lofty goals and inspire their teams to work together to achieve them.

At some point, every organization will be faced with the task of replacing long-term managers and executives with younger leaders. While there young managers face many obstacles and challenges in proving themselves and gaining trust, they also bring diversity, enthusiasm and fresh perspective where it's most needed.


Photo courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 
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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Allison thanks for your comment. Remember this is just one opinion and one article. We truly do understand the value that the older workforce brings to the table but we also value the younger managers and leaders, too. You are saying the same thing now that your parents were saying when you first entered the workforce. It's always this way and probably always will be. It does take time to learn people skills the same as it took the older generation time to learn them. We are certainly not discounting the value that the more mature worker brings into the workforce.

  • Allison S.
    Allison S. •

    We were the ones who tried the myriad software until what finally worked became the industry standard. We were the ones who taught our kids how to use their computers. We have made mistakes that created current protocol. We were the guinea pigs of technology and we know why things are what they are. Be a worker first and know what your people are dealing with at least. I am happy to hand over the helm to someone who has earned it. There is such a thing as "paying your dues" for a reason. I admire the freshness of new people, their speed with technology, their energy to keep their coworkers motivated, but knowing people skills takes awhile. I have and will again respect a younger boss that at least listens before acting, but the opportunity to do so is often blocked with the thinking that created this article. At least give someone who jumped head first into new technologies, the immense changes we have made to welcome it in before writing us all off for the ones who fought it. Older workers whose kids have grown and gone, no longer party to 'till dawn and have proven their hard work ethic my just have lived their lives committed to their careers. They very often often throw their all into their jobs. Sometimes it's all the seasoned workers have, so give us a break why-don'-cha?

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Linda thanks for your comment. It certainly can be frustrating when you are working so hard and your manager leaves without a backward glance. However, sooner or later this behavior is going to catch up with her. It always does. Be patient and just keep your head down and do your own work. And remember, not all young managers are like yours.

  • Linda A.
    Linda A. •

    This is the way companies think and they are wrong I have a manager that has been out of school for 2 years she leaves earlier takes off more days while myself with 20 years experience does the job she gets the pay and credit for doing just because I am new to the company.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Laurence and @Modesto thank you for your comments and your opinions. Age bias is rampant in the workplace today. Not all workplaces, of course, but we hear about it over and over again. Qualified job seekers trying every which way they can to get through the ATS and be able to interview. No ulterior motives for this article @Laurence. And of course these characteristics are not limited to the millennials. Personally I think that if the person is qualified for the position - whether young or old, they should get it. I also believe that the older workers should mentor and guide the younger employees so that they will be able to lead the organization in the future. That is our job - to prepare the younger workers to take over the reigns as has been the case throughout history. It's just that today, everything moves quickly and the younger manager, who is used to rapidly changing technologies, may be the best person to lead and manage.

  • Laurence R.
    Laurence R. •

    It's hard to believe anyone would subscribe to such a philosophy of age bias. I have come across many ambitious professionals at both ends of the age spectrum with the integrity and desire to perform at a high level for their own inner reasons. Preparing such a polarizing imaginary social barrier and accepting its conclusions as though the study was not flawed seems to indicate other ulterior motives.

  • Modesto T.
    Modesto T. •

    Ridiculous! These or most any general assumptions based on a particular type or age of person is deserving or inviting mockery. Some fixed and oversimplified image contributes to stereotyping and dysfunction in the workplace. Managerial success is based upon the ability to recognize and capitalize on, each person’s unique strengths. Strengths can be defined as consistent near perfect performance in an activity (Strength = Talent + Knowledge + Skills).

    It appears that the epidemic of active disengagement we see in work-places every day could be a curable disease...if we can help the people around us develop their strengths.” Those who do not get to focus on what they do best – their strengths – the costs are staggering. In a recent poll of more than 1,000 people, among those who “strongly disagreed” or “disagreed” with this “what I do best” statement, not one single person was emotionally engaged on the job. In stark contrast studies indicate that people who do have focus on their strengths every day are six times as likely to report having an excellent quality of life in general.

    To excel as a managers and to be able to turn an existing or potential employee talents into productive strengths, requires individualization. This means hold slightly different expectations for each person and tailor managerial efforts to each individual employee and application. Basically to recognize, and then learn to capitalize on, each person’s unique strengths. This will keep employees productive, energized, and satisfied. (StrengthsFinder 2.0 Copyright © 2007 Gallup, Inc.)

  • Sharon C.
    Sharon C. •

    I disagree with some of the views in this reading. Their! are some lazy younger workers. They use technology as a cover up, they may have a little more experience with today's technology but, tend to be on media sites and do a lot of texting instead of working. It is the older season workers who save the company or work load by working double because younger employees want to be on social media or on phones texting or talking through Bluetooth. More experiments needs to be done on this discussion prior to giving these statements. They are just statements not facts, to my understanding.

  • Rhoda M.
    Rhoda M. •

    Does that mean that us the mature managers are fired from the job market?

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @John V thanks for your comment. Many are in the same situation as you. Have you done any follow up, after the interview, to find out what happened? The CFO was in the wrong by asking what year you graduated. However, it would be pretty obvious by your resume. So, prior to you walking in the door for the interview, they had a pretty good idea how old you were. There has to be something else going on. Suggestion: make an appointment at your alma mater and have them conduct a mock interview with you. Have it recorded and then see what they say. Could be your interviewing skills. Also, don't forget to use your school's career office to search for jobs. Sometimes schools get notification of available jobs that would not be found on job boards. I remember how it used to be also. You could submit your resume knowing that your phone will ring before the day was over! Not like that today. Wish you the best of luck.

  • John V.
    John V. •

    Wow - as if companies need encouragement to hire younger managers!! Years ago I could leave a job and have 2 or 3 offers the next day! I never had a problem being hired because I was too young - this is absurd. But now that I am older finding work is impossible. It is the OLDER workers that can't get hired. I have a BA and 2 Masters Degrees and while I get a LOT of interviews, the hiring manager freezes up as soon as I walk in the door. The "problem" is rather obvious given their enthusiasm before we met in person. I even had a CFO (at least my age no less) ask a few perfunctory questions, then ask me to my face: "Just what year did you graduate from school?" Now what difference would the year of my graduation have made except that it reveals my age - more or less. This sort of thing happens over, and over, and over again. I have been out of work for 8 months and this has NEVER happened to me before.........

  • Delores D.
    Delores D. •

    Ever have a young manager hover over you, scatter your papers, and blame you for their mistakes? Some young managers don't have respect for older workers. They lack people skills.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    Thanks again for all of the great comments. This phenomenon is nothing new - it's always been this way. The difference is that, before 2007, there were so many open positions that all you had to do was submit your resume and you were bound to at least get an interview. Today, not so much. We have always had "young" managers with older workers and the dynamic worked just fine. We have had older managers with younger workers and that worked fine, too. I believe that it's all in our attitude. My supervisor is quite a bit younger but the dynamic works. There is mutual respect on both sides. To me, that is how you need to look at it. From personal experience, during my years in the service, 90% of the time my supervisor would be younger but it was no problem. He/she respected my years in the service and my rank and I, in turn, respected their position and rank. It's all in attitude.

  • Peter K.
    Peter K. •

    If young workers are to be managed, it's probably better to have someone closer to their age do it, they can relate better and it won't come across as a adult child relation between an older manager and worker. Young manager would probably be more respectful towards their subordinates, as long as he isn't a complete jerk.

  • Robert S.
    Robert S. •

    Wow, more unmitigated bullshit. Not surprisingly, the writer is "youngish." So experience counts for nothing anymore? Anyone can walk in off the street (carrying their skateboard) with a couple years of post-college, entry-level experience and make a better manager than someone who has climbed through the ladders with hands-on experience managing increasingly more complicated, sophisticated projects at a variety of companies? The author needs to stop watching so much television (where all companies, countries, intelligence services, etc. are run by perky, snarky twenty-somethings)

  • Stuart B.
    Stuart B. •

    Much of this is true, but can also be applied to older managers. Simply add all of the indicated attributes and add years of experience and you hav an "older" manager.

  • Dennis B.
    Dennis B. •

    Article is a bit one sided so here's a thought from the 60 something perspective. With a lifetime of management, business ownership, major failures due to decisions on my part leading up to my current job seeking status, I'll offer the following: THE MOST dynamic and effective business management model I've personally experienced to date occurred by accident some years ago when I hired a young (early 20's) general manager for a very much in trouble restaurant. When and IF there is a mutual respect and teachability with both parties, then each shore up the others' weaknesses and magnify their strengths. Unfortunately we live in an either or marketplace, when the best solutions to the problems of today are 'both'.

  • Eliot S.
    Eliot S. •

    This "study" reminds me of the one where a researcher pulls the legs off a frog and then orders it to jump. When the frog doesn't jump, the scientist concludes frogs hear through their legs.

  • Javier Egozcue, MBA, CPA, CGMA

    This article is not accurate. Young, mature or any other classification using age as been a better manager is incorrect. The key is the individual desire to be a good manager and be open/receptive/focused.

  • Robert A.
    Robert A. •

    Focus of age bias in this dissertation throws an unwarranted shadow on the experienced "older" managers. You are either a good manager or a bad one - age does not chronicle deterioration of abilities. I am an older manager and my current technology skills kick Millennial a--. You have to care about the success of your position and that starts with caring about the success of the company you work for. Work like it is "your own" company and everyone will win.

  • Jonathan Guenther
    Jonathan Guenther •

    My Dad always said "age and treachery will always triumph over youth and enthusiasm" LOL!

  • zach h.
    zach h. •

    Veteran management is too stuck in their old ways.. I firmly believe in this article.. younger leaders are more hungry and put in the time to get jobs done.. Not all of us in this younger generation are lazy.. Every job I've had my veteran management counter parts are the lazy ones.. The ones that say we are " lazy and settle" are probably the ones that got replace by a person of the lazy generation

  • Crystal C.
    Crystal C. •

    Experience shows in every job or profession.

  • Carmen B.
    Carmen B. •

    Age should not make a difference because I learn from each other. With respect for each other can help in the work place of who are in charge.

  • Eric G.
    Eric G. •

    hands on exp. beats degree's anyday. this generation of young people are lazy and have no drive, just happy to settle.

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